The Last Semester
by EmeraldWings1992
Summary: With Luke and friends quickly approaching graduation from University, they deal with getting ready for the big day and life beyond, causing them lots of stress. Will they rise above it, or break under the pressure? COMPLETE
1. Interviews and Job Hunting

A/N: Okay, here's a one-shot, may become a two-shot in May.

I wrote this as an outlet, a way to unleash some of the stress I've been feeling this semester. I chose Luke as he was my only character in college at the current moment (Even if Joshua Fey-Wright might have been a better choice).

For my new readers, Luke is in California at Nodir University (Jumping off the end of "Unwound Future").

…

My heart slammed against my ribcage. My lungs were tight with the need for air. My palms were slick with sweat.

The loafers on my feet slapped against the cement as I raced across the campus of Nodir University.

Stupid car. I was so late. Would that effect my chances?

Who am I kidding! OF COURSE it will!

 _Now Luke, a true gentleman makes sure to always be prompt,_ Professor Layton's voice echoed in my head.

"I know Professor! I know! I'm trying!" I gasped, rushing through the quad and startling some of the students relaxing there.

Lucky. They probably weren't graduating this semester.

They didn't have to worry about applying for graduation.

About applying for Grad school or finding a job.

About writing long, upper level class papers.

About not having another chance to retake a class they did poorly in.

About having to do perfect in every single class they're taking.

About preparing for graduation itself.

About doing a graduation interview.

I flew into the Thomason Building, which held the Physical Anthropology department, and took the steps three at a time. My sides were burning with cramps. My lungs were begging for air.

I spent most of the last four years in this building. It, like home and London before that, held a lot of memories for me. Other then general education and field work classes, every class I took was in this building. Every club I was part of was in this building.

And it was in this building where I would have my Graduation Interview.

The interview I was now ten minutes late to.

The interview that would decide if I graduated this semester or not.

Finally getting the fifth floor, I skidded to a stop in front of the room I needed. I raked my fingers through my currently hatless hair, straightened my blazer, tightened my tie, and caught my breath.

After all, a true gentleman always makes a good impression. That, and it might help my chances, at least a little.

"Come in!" a familiar voice called in answer to my knock.

"I'm sorry I'm late," I said as I walked in. Sitting at the front of the room were four people. The Dean, the chair of the Physical Anthropology department, Dr. Kingston – my advisor – and Dr. Triton – yet another Archeology professor… and my dad. "My car wouldn't start."

"It's fine. Have a seat, Mr. Triton," the Dean said shortly, peering at me over his glasses. Pulling my satchel over my head and off, I complied.

My stomach churned with nervousness, and the base of my throat tightened painfully with the stress of the situation.

The four studied me for a few minutes, their faces guarded – even dad's – before starting the interview.

I was long. It was grueling. I felt sick the entire time. But somehow, I got through it and survived.

"Well, Mr. Triton, I think that's it," the Dean said, standing and offering his hand. I wiped my sticky, slick hands on my slacks as I stood, and shook his hand. "Thank you for your time."

"Thank you," I said with a nod.

"You may go," he said offhandedly. That made my stomach drop even more, but I left calmly.

I blew it.

Trying to keep as much dignity as I could, I left the building, my eyes stinging with anger, frustration, and stress.

…

 **A/N:** **IT'S NOT OVER!**

 **Okay, you all know he made it. I'm not that mean to Luke! Well… sometimes…**

 **Archeology is a branch of Physical Anthropology. (Anthropology is the study of humans. There's Linguistics [my readers would be familiar with this branch through Volca] Cultural, and Physical [which includes Archeology and Biological]).**

 **The next part is something I decided to add during Spring Break. Obviously, Luke has MORE then enough experience to get hired somewhere. His best friend, Benjamin Willow (first seen in chapter two of "Her Special Someone") does not. Here is his (and by extension my) struggle with this.**

 **FYI, this is set about a month after the previous part, and Luke and Ben know that they're set to graduate.**

 **This part is from Ben's POV.**

…

I slumped at my desk, staring at my laptop in dismay as I clicked through the different websites.

' _Three years experience required.'_

' _Five years experience required.'_

' _Two years experience required.'_

The list went on and on.

"Did that internship count for nothing!?" I demanded, slamming my fist down onto my desk.

"Well, it made us closer," a cheeky, slightly accented voice answered from the door of my dorm room. I turned in my chair to see Luke Triton closing the door behind him, carrying a McDonalds bag and two Styrofoam cups.

"Who said you can come in my room without knocking?" I demanded. Luke smiled at me.

"You did."

"Oh." I looked at the stuff in his hands. "What's that?"

"You weren't at lunch," Luke said, setting the bag on my desk and one of the cups. "And usually, when you aren't at lunch, you don't eat."

"So?"

"And when you don't eat, something is bothering you," he concluded, having that _I just solved a puzzle_ look about him that was just all too familiar.

"Nothing's bothering me," I replied, pushing the bag out of my way, taking a sip of the coffee he got me, and going back to my laptop.

"Riiiight…" Luke said, taking a sip of his tea and watching me. I felt his eyes on me as I searched through the different websites, hoping for something. _Anything._

"You're job hunting."

"What?" I demanded, lurching back in my seat and staring at him. Luke quirked an eyebrow at me.

He was right. I was job hunting.

And as it stood, I am not able to be hired. Everyone wanted at least two years of experience.

I had one half of a year. Not even that, since a semester is only four and a half months.

"You're job hunting, for after graduation," Luke said again, before moving closer to look at my computer. The faint smell of his Oolong tea with honey reached me. "And… not having any luck," he added with a frown.

"Yeah," I sighed, pushing my computer back slightly and putting my head on my arms on the desk. It was hopeless. I had no idea where to apply, or who would even hire me.

I was going to graduate from Nodir University, with this amazing Archeology degree, and will probably never use it.

"Ben," Luke said, putting a hand on my back. I didn't even realize that I was shaking slightly until that point.

"What?" I snarled, my stress taking the better of me.

"It'll be okay," he said, not even seeming phased. "We just have to figure this out."

"There's no 'we' about this," I said, looking up and looking at Luke. He had a calm, soothing look on his face. It was infuriating. "You have the advantage of running around since you were eight or nine with one of the greatest archeologists of our time, plus Dr. Kingston is taking you on as his assistant. I don't have that. I have an internship. That was only a semester long. _Half a year._ What the _hell_ am I supposed to do with that!?" I demanded, my voice raising to a yell with each word. Luke stayed calm, waiting for me to finish.

That, too, was infuriating.

"If you remember," Luke started, "that internship gets you a foot in the door. And that museum sends archeologists out all the time. You were a good intern. They'll hire you, _if you are willing to start at the bottom_."

"You don't have to start at the bottom," I said bitterly, though I didn't really mean it.

"Are you kidding me?" he demanded, looking totally shocked. "I might not have to start at the bottom, but do you know how many times my life was in danger?" he said teasingly. I couldn't help it. I laughed.

Luke always knew exactly what to say to make me feel better. He reached over my shoulder and typed, one-handed, in the address bar, bringing up the museum's website. He bought up the "Careers" page and pointed to one of the first lines.

 _Previous Interns have a better chance of being hired._

"Really?" I said, reading over it a few more times. The knot in my stomach loosened slightly. The hopelessness eased.

"Really. Now, eat your heart attack on a bun," Luke said with a grin, closing my laptop and pulling the McDonalds bag closer again. "After all, we're going to go meet Jessica and Pearl in an hour, remember?"

"Right," I said with a weak smile, pulling the Big Mac and fries out of the bag and digging in.

Maybe it wasn't as hopeless as I thought after all.

…

A/N: Okay, so I gave Ben a happy ending. Thing is, I didn't have an internship, and I still have that helpless feeling, but I'm HOPING something will come along (I know I have to keep working at it, and I know I'm going to start at the bottom, but still).

And no, I'm not an archeology major. I know so much about Anthropology from taking three anthropology classes for my gen ed classes. I'm an English major with a minor in Computer Science, looking to get into the video game world.

Side note: I have NO idea how Ben should look. Any ideas, people?


	2. Finals Week

A/N: I'M DONE FINALS! I SURVIVED GRADUATION! Now it's time to find a job... ugh...

Here's another chapter from my life changed enough to fit here!

…

Chapter Two – Finals Week

 _Luke's POV_

"Of all the rotten luck," Ben joked, tossing me a pillow where I sat on the empty bed across his dorm room from him. I shrugged philosophically.

"Not really. I'm used to early mornings," I replied, putting it at the head of my temporary bed.

"Then why are you sleeping in my room again?" he demanded.

"Because eight am finals, all week, are early when you live thirty minutes away."

"Don't you live on campus?"

"It's a big campus," I grumbled, remembering my mad sprint from my house to my graduation interview.

"True," Ben replied, pulling his book bag over. "At least my roommate left, so you can sleep on his bed."

"Yeah." I pulled my bag over as well. "And we can study together. What should we study first, by the way?"

"What's our first final?"

"Advanced Archeology."

"Let's study that first then."

…

Ben and I spent hours studying for Advanced Archeology that night, with fifteen minute breaks here and there to give our minds a break. Both of us had paid close attention to the class all semester, and for me at least, it was pretty easy content. Ben struggled with a few terms that were similar to each other, but nothing too major.

Both of us felt pretty confident that we aced that final the next morning.

"So, lunch, then more studying?" I asked as Ben and I walked along one of the many paths of Nodir Campus.

"That sounds good," he said, resting his arms behind his head. "When's our next final, anyway?"

"Hm," I pulled out my note/sketchbook and studied it. "Tonight at five. Then the rest are eight am for the rest of the week, and we don't have one on Friday," I replied.

"But we have graduation practice on Friday."

"Right."

"Luke! Ben!" a voice called from behind. We both stopped and looked back. Running over to us was Ben's girlfriend (and my ex), Jessica, and her roommate Katie. Jessica smiled, but I could tell it was a strained one. Katie looked like she was on the verge of tears.

"Hey, beautiful," Ben said, wrapping an arm around Jessica once the girls reached us. I smiled warmly at that, happy they were so happy. "How do you think you did on that final?"

"Okay. I should have studied more."

"Hey, Katie," I said with a smile at the upset girl. She blinked up at me and gave me a weak smile.

"Hey," she said softly.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm pretty sure I failed that final," she whimpered. I was taken aback slightly. Katie was smart and made sure she did well, and—

She was a perfectionist. If she didn't know something, or was unsure of something on the test, it's no wonder she was so upset. I glanced over at Ben and Jessica in time to see them exchange a glance. They just realized the same thing I did.

"Well, maybe you can study with us tonight?" I suggested, remembering that she was in most of the same classes as the rest of us. Her head snapped up, her eyes surprised.

"Really?" she asked. I smiled warmly.

"Really."

…

Asking Katie to study with us was a mistake. She's a nice girl, but she got frustrated so easily if she couldn't remember something, or couldn't figure something out. Jessica, Ben, and I got next to no studying done, thanks to her freaking out.

 _Now Luke, a true gentleman helps a lady in need, no matter what_ , the professor's voice echoed in my head.

 _I know, Professor, I know. I'm trying!_ I thought, once more waiting for Katie to calm down. Jessica let out a soft sigh, resting her head against Ben's shoulder. Finally, Katie stormed out of the room. I stood to follow.

"Just leave it, Luke," Jessica said, not moving either. "She'll get more frustrated if you follow her."

"What am I doing wrong?" I asked, sitting on my bed across from them.

"Nothing," Jessica sighed. "She's been this high strung since the beginning of this year."

"I remember you saying something about that," Ben said softly, resting his head on top of hers.

"Yeah."

The three of us fell quite, and I thought about what Jessica said. I'm not dating her anymore, but I noticed that she was a lot more stressed, and although her and Katie have been friends for close to eleven years now, Jessica always seemed to not want to be around her. Especially since Jessica has a lot of her own stress…

Katie walked back in and sat heavily on the floor, pulling the books over to herself again. I gave vent to a silent sigh and slid off the bed to sit next to her again.

Hopefully, I can retain enough to take my final tomorrow…

…

I some how managed my to not bomb my final the next morning. Katie and Jessica, thankfully, had a different class to study for afterwards, so the third final day found Ben and I in his room, alone again, pouring over the books and testing each other.

 _Pound pound pound thump pound_

My head snapped up at the loud, base heavy music slamming from the room upstairs.

"Oh you have _got_ to be kidding me…" Ben grumbled, glaring up at the ceiling.

"Isn't it 24 hour study hours?" I asked, looking over at him.

"Yes."

"And they're blaring music?"

"Welcome to my world. They have been the most inconsiderate neighbors all year. I've been ignoring it, but this is going too far," he growled, standing.

 _A true gentleman faces confrontation calmly._

"I'll go talk to them," I said, standing, knowing Ben would be anything but calm. He stopped, looking over.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Well, okay," he said, sitting again. I quickly found my way to the room directly above Ben's, and knocked.

No answer. Guess they didn't hear me. I knocked harder, and finally, the music shut off. The door opened, and a face peeked out.

"What?" he demanded. I was taken aback. Talk about rudeness!

"Hi," I said with a smile. "Me and my friend are trying to study, and we're in the room directly below you. We would really appreciate it if you turned down the music," I said.

"Fine." He closed the door in my face. I wasn't even fully down the hall before the music was blaring again.

"Really?" I demanded, my head snapping back towards the door. I quickly knocked again, as loud as I could. The door opened again, this time without the music going off.

"What?" he snapped.

"Can you _please_ turn down your music?" I asked, trying hard to keep my voice calm. He simply rolled his eyes and closed the door once more, this time without an answer. I waited a few minutes, only to hear the music be turned _up_.

"Okay, that's it!" I grumbled, whipping around and storming towards the Residence Assistance's room. Maybe he can get them to turn the music down. Or write them up. Which ever works…

…

I had never met a more passive aggressive Residence Assistance in my life! He went up to the room, three times, was laughed at, and never wrote them up. Ben and I tried our hardest to concentrate on our studying, but after the third time of the RA going to their room, and the music was turned up again, we were forced to go to the Study Lounge on the first floor.

Unfortunately, Jessica and a freaking out Katie were down there. I groaned, but Ben put an arm around me.

"Come on, let's just go to the library," he said. I sighed softly.

"Yeah. This is just our hardest final," I mumbled as I followed after him. Ben chuckled. "What?" I demanded.

"The great Luke Triton, apprentice of the famed Professor Hershal Layton and son of Dr. Clark Triton, scared of a final?" Ben gasped.

"Hey! That's all archeology! Not Calculus!" I snapped, swatting at him.

Ben just laughed, dragging me along.

…

 **A/N:** And I will cut it off here. Okay, explanation time.

Not this semester, but last semester, I had a semester of 8ams. It sucked.

In the Jessica/Katie dynamic, I'm Jessica, my roommate is Katie. We've even been best friends for about eleven years. HOWEVER, I've been stressed mainly because of her. I just didn't have a boyfriend, soooo…

We had neighbors as rude as the people above Luke and Ben. All year. Pounding crappy music.

Well, I don't know if I'll do the "Graduation" chapter or not. What do you guys think?


	3. Graduation

**A/N:** The final chapter of this tale. You can thank WolfieRed23! Here we go!

…

Chapter Three – Graduation

 _Luke's POV_

I brushed the blue and gold tassel out of my eyes once more, looking around. The stands were quickly filling up. Young adults in black cap and gowns, with gold insignias on their lapels, milled around just inside the entrance to the stadium, waiting for the time when we have to move towards our seats.

"I can't believe we're finally here," Ben said, clasping my shoulder. I chuckled.

"I know. Four years. Feels like they flew, huh?" I asked, looking over at him with a grin. He held up his phone, and there was a click. "WHOA! Hey!" I protested, knowing he just took a picture of me. He laughed.

"What? We need pictures!" he said, flashing another grin before wrapping an arm around me, putting his head next to mine, and taking another picture, this time of the two of us. I caught my hat as he knocked it askew with his, laughing.

"Keep this up, and one of our tassels will get tangled!" I said. He pulled back and shrugged, looking at the picture.

"It'll just be another puzzle for you to solve before we graduate," he said, making us both laugh.

"We did it!" a female voice cheered, and both Ben and I were tackled from behind, an arm wrapping around each of us.

"Whoa!" I yelped, stumbling forward, laughing. I knew exactly who it was.

"Jessica!" Ben said happily, before taking pictures with and of her. I shook my head, watching with a smile for a moment, before looking up at the stands again, then sighing, thinking back to my call to the Professor the other day.

…

 _Two Days Ago_

" _Hello?_ "

"Hi Professor!" I said with a smile, sitting back on my bed, the phone pressed to my ear.

" _Ah! Luke, my boy. How is finals going?_ " he asked, sounding pleased to talk to me. I grinned.

"Good. Well, actually, all finished." I laughed. "It was… and interesting finals week, to say the least," I said. "Dad said you were in America though?"

" _Why, yes. I plan on coming and seeing you on Sunday, in fact. It was supposed to be a surprise though. Ah well,_ " he chuckled. I shook my head.

"Well, actually Professor, I managed to get an extra graduation ticket. I was hoping you could come to the ceremony," I said.

" _Oh… I'm sorry, my boy. I… have a prior engagement…_ " he said. My shoulders drooped.

"A prior engagement?" I asked.

" _Yes. It is of the utmost importance. I really cannot cancel or reschedule,_ " he said. I just nodded, forgetting that he couldn't see it.

" _Luke?_ "

"It's okay," I muttered, blinking quite a few times. My eyes stung slightly, but I tried hard to ignore it. "I understand. After all, you're in America for a reason, right?"

" _Luke… I—_ "

"I have to go. I'll talk to you later. Bye, Professor Layton." I hung up, chucking the phone onto my bed.

…

 _Present_

"—uke? Luke?" Ben asked, shaking my shoulder and bringing me back to the present.

"Hm?" I asked, looking over at him.

"You okay? You look upset," he asked. I forced a smile.

"I'm good," I said. Just then, one of the faculty members came in.

"Okay! Everyone get to your lines. We'll be walking out there in five minutes!" she said as she continued down the line. Jessica gave my shoulder a squeeze.

"See you afterwards!" she said with a smile. I smiled back, stumbling forward slightly from the thump on my back from Ben. I chuckled.

"Yep. See you, guys," I said, watching after those two before going and finding my place in line. Not too long after, the band began to play, and we began our procession onto the field. We reached out seats (mine was, of course, in the back), and continued to stand. The faculty and guest speakers walked onto the field after us. Finally, after the presentation of colors and the national anthem (where the men had to take off their hats), we were allowed to sit, and I inspected the faculty on the stage. There was the president of the university, the three deans, and a few people I didn't recognize. With a sigh, I looked in the program that was left on my seat, wondering who the guest speaker was.

My eyes locked on the name. In fact, I had to read it three time to be sure I was reading it correctly.

' _Hershal Layton, Ph.D_

 _Professor of Archeology, Gressenheller University_ '

I quickly looked up at the stage, searching for that familiar top hat, and finding none. I then looked closer, realizing all of them were in Academia regalia. Much fancier and elegant then our own robes, but still caps and gowns.

Finally, I found Professor Layton, wearing a black gown with blue felt patches on his arms and down the front, trimmed in gold. The colors, which symbolize which doctorate the wearer graduated with, were that of the Anthropology department. I chuckled, finding it weird for the professor to be wearing the eight pointed version of our graduation caps with a gold tassel, rather then his ever present top hat.

The provost spoke first, before introducing the student chosen to speak. Then other faculty members, until Professor Layton was introduced. He stepped to the podium and looked out at us all.

"Well now. Congratulations, Class of 2031," he began with a smile, studying our faces as we looked up at him. I doubt he was able to pick me out from the mass of black caps and gowns, but I still couldn't help but grin like a fool when his eyes swept my way. He talked about how we were on the cusp of beginning an even more exciting journey then our last, and how our choices would dictate the rest of our lives.

It was just like sitting in his office at Gressenheller all those years ago, listening as he lectured me about my future.

I still miss those days sometimes.

"And remember," Professor Layton said with a smile, reaching up and holding the front point of his hat. "Life is simply a puzzle, and every puzzle—"

"Has an answer," I said softly in unison with the professor.

"Thank you, and good luck," he finished, stepping back and allowing the provost to take the podium again.

…

"Luke Triton. Summa Cum Laude," the provost announced. I stepped onto the stage, proud of the gold chord that hung around my neck, and shook hands with the president, receiving my degree case in return. I then continued across the stage, grinning hugely at the Professor, who nodded with a proud smile. I then walked down the steps, had my picture taken in front of the green screen, and continued to my seat, where I watched the rest of the graduating class of 2031 receive their own degree cases.

Unfortunately, we don't receive our actual degrees until they send them out in the mail.

Once they were done announcing the names, we stood and did the recession, walking back to where we started this morning. Once we were allowed to break ranks, the audience came onto the field, seeking out their graduates. I, however, made a beeline towards the stage, getting there in time to see Professor Layton coming down the steps.

"Professor!" I cried, darting over and hugging him tightly.

"Whoa!" he gasped before laughing, hugging me back. "Well, hello there, my boy!" he said, hugging me back. I laughed, ecstatic to see him again.

"Was this your prior engagement?" I asked, finally pulling away. He smiled warmly.

"Yes. I do hope you managed to give someone else your extra ticket?" he said. I nodded.

"Yeah. Ben, actually, for his grandfather," I explained.

"Luke!" an excited voice called from behind. I turned in time to be tackled by a powerful spirit-medium (in training), her lips landing directly on mine. My eyes widened first, in surprise, but then closed as I pulled my girlfriend closer, my arms locking around her. Pearl wrapped her arms around my neck, not letting go for a few minutes, until we had to pull away for air. She giggled breathlessly.

"I can't believe it!" she said happily, hugging me tightly and burying her face, now turning red, into my chest. I laughed, feeling my own cheeks blazing, and glanced sheepishly at the Professor. He chuckled, shaking his head.

 _Click!_

"Mum!" I protested, turning to her, knowing she was the one who took the picture.

"Oh I'm just so proud of you, sweetie!" she said, hugging both Pearl and I. I blushed more.

"MUM!" I protested again, not knowing how else to respond, though I did hear Dad's chuckling from behind her.

"Is this a bad time?" another voice asked. I looked up from where I was being choked to death in time to see Mr. Wright and Ms. Maya. With them stood Professor Layton's adopted children, Flora and Alfendi. I grinned hugely, happy to have everyone here. Mum demanded everyone get together and took pictures until Dr. Kingston came along, stealing the camera from Mum and making her join us. I soon lost track of how many pictures were being taken until, finally, we were done.

"Well, how about we head back to the house and decide where to go get dinner?" Dad suggested.

"About time," Alfendi snapped, crossing his arms.

"Now, Alfendi, a true gentleman always has patience," Professor Layton said, wrapping an arm around him and following after the rest of us. I glanced back in time to see him look away from the Professor, the only man he would never snap at.

"Whatever," he mumbled.

…

 **A/N:** Alfendi is 11 here. I haven't written the story where he and the Professor meet (yet!).

Summa Cum Laude is the highest one can graduate with honors, meaning Luke here graduated with a GPA of 4.0+.

And this is the end of this tale. I had fun writing it, and it did help me get a lot of my feelings out. Except for this chapter. This chapter was purely fiction.


End file.
